"It was a horrible moment," he recalled. "It was very difficult, so close to the game."

The broad, beaming smile that has lit up a room overlooking the St Mary's pitch for much of our interview, gives way to something altogether more thoughtful as Wanyama, 22, recalls the nightmare that unfolded in Nairobi on Saturday, 21 September.

"My friend called me first. He said: 'there are thieves in the Westgate shopping centre, they have hostages'. I thought 'how can that happen?' Then my cousin called. It was terrorists.

Wanyama in his own words

Best player in the Premier League?
Wayne Rooney

Toughest opponent?
Steven Gerrard

One person you would like to meet?
Barack Obama. He is my hero.

Best player at Southampton?
Luke Shaw

Biggest prankster at Southampton?
Jos Hooiveld!

"That was the moment that made me worry because my thoughts turned to my family. He couldn't tell me if everyone was OK because he was not at home. My family shop there, it is only 10 minutes from my home. They could have been there.

"But when I rang home I found out everyone was OK. I didn't have time to call my friends to ask them. It was too close to the match by that time."

"It was very hard to play thinking of what was happening back home, knowing that people were suffering inside Westgate, possibly my friends. My brain was not in the game. I was just worried."

Four weeks have passed and we now know
67 people were killed by Islamist terrorists.
Many more were injured. It is clear Wanyama is still struggling to make sense of what happened and what it means. Kenya's international matches were called off last week as a mark of respect.

Home and family remain cornerstones of Wanyama's life. He speaks to his mother, Mildred, most days and his father Noah is his biggest fan, albeit from afar.

His childhood in Kenya was tough but loving. His family could afford food but not football boots. It was left to young Victor to take matters into his own hands.

"I won my first pair of boots at an Under-10s tournament for being the best player. I was so happy. They were yellow. I had to take them off again a few minutes later because they hurt. It took me a long time to get used to wearing football boots."

"I used to watch them. It was great watching them play, they were fantastic players," he says.

Wanyama is sitting within touching distance, his muscular 6ft 2in frame hidden under casual clothing, his friendly face in shadow thanks to a black baseball cap, pulled down over his forehead.

He is warm and honest, thoughtful and grounded. He talks about returning home to Kenya, about walking around Nairobi where he enjoys meeting those who look up to him. He likes the normality, the human contact.

He is
unfazed by his £12.5m price tag,
the price Southampton paid Celtic for a player they believe can bring a genuine physical presence and an eye for goal to their midfield.

"I used to support Manchester United," he adds. "Growing up, I was always wishing and dreaming of playing in England. I am happy to be here."

At Celtic he will always be remembered fondly. The Scottish champions paid Beerschot in Belgium just £900,000 for a raw talent. The fans took to him immediately, not least because he wore the No 67 shirt in honour of the Lisbon Lions.

His father was an accomplished footballer and coach of Nairobi's AFC Leopards. His mother played netball, his sister, Mercy, is in the United States on her way to becoming a professional basketball player. "We loved sport. My brother was a mentor for me."

"No one at the club is surprised at our success so far this season. But it is too early to talk about where we will finish. We want to take it game by game and to keep improving."

The Wanyama family motto was 'always do better', something Victor never forgets. His family are due to visit him in Southampton in the coming weeks but when he steps out at Old Trafford on Saturday, they, and all of Kenya, will stop to watch him realise a dream.

Whatever the result, there will be a phone call home after the game. Wanyama is determined to ensure that this time, it is good news.

You can see more of Victor Wanyama's interview on Football Focus, 12:00 BST on BBC One and the BBC Sport website.

BBC links

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